Device for punching and/or reading a tape

ABSTRACT

A tape punching and reading device having a series of punches which are selectively controlled by a cam element common to all of the punches. A three-armed lever is provided, one arm of which engages the cam element, the second arm is electro-magnetically coupled to an electormagnet, and the third arm has an additional lever pivotally mounted thereon which is interposed between the cam element and the individual punches to effect the punching operation. A photo-electric scanner is provided to read a perforation receiving line of the tape one increment of tape advance beyond the individual punch elements.

United States Patent 11 1 Boyer I DEVICE FOR PUNCHING AND/OR READING A TAPE [75] Inventor: Marcel-Louis Boyer, Chatillon,

France [73] Assignee: Compagnie Industrielle Des Telecommunications Cit-Alcatel, Paris, France [22] Filed: July 30, 1971 p [21] Appl. No: 167,601

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 0m. 26, 1970 France 70.38596 52 us. (:1. 235/61.1, 234/34 [51] lnt.Cl. G06k 1/02, G06k7/14 [58] Field ofSearch 235/61.1,61.6 H,6l.11 E; 234/34, 33

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,448,247 6 1969 Jones 235 61.1 3,474,956 10/1969 Cain 234/4 3,558,862 1/1971 McMillan... 235 61.11 E 3,598,9 6 8/1971 Combs 235/61.l1 E 3,159,337 12/1964 MacNeill et al. 234 33 Mar. 5, 1974 3,069,075 12/1962 Sallach 234/34 3,596,831 8/1971 Parmer 234/34 983,254 l/l91l Swing 2135/61.!

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 2/1967 Great Britain 234/34 OTHER PUBLICATIONS IBM Tech. Discl. Bulletin, Sharp, Data Translation, V01. 5, No. 3, Aug. 1962 Primary Examiner-Thomas .l. Sloyan Attorney, Agent, or FirmCraig and Antonelli [5 7] ABSTRACT A tape punching and reading device having a series of punches which are selectively controlled by a cam element common to all of the punches. A three-armed lever is provided, one arm of which engages the cam element, the second arm is electro-magnetically coupled to an electormagnet, and the third arm has an additional lever pivotally mounted thereon which is interposed between the cam element and the individual punches to effect the punching operation. A photoelectric scanner is provided to read a perforation receiving line of the tape one increment of tape advance beyond the individual punch elements.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED 5 SHEET 1 0f 5 INVENTOR MARCEtLOUIS BOYER QMioubQQi 4- ATI'ORN EY5 PATENTEDHAR 5M4 3.795.793

sum 2 or 5 FIG.2

KNVENTOR MARCEL-LOUIS BOYER 1r ATTORN EY 5 PATENTED 3.795.793

SHEET 3 OF 5 INVENTOR MARCEL-LOUI S BOYER ATTORNEYS PATENTEW 3.795.793

SHEET '4 [IF 5 INVENTOR ARCeL-Louls BOYER aamiounmi 4? H' Z/Q ATTORNEYS INVENTOR MARCELLOUIS BOYER 001% (Lua da--45 HUUZ ATTORNEYS PATENTED 5W sum 5 BF 5 FIG 6 DEVICE FOR PUNCI-IING AND/OR READING A TAPE The present invention concerns a device for punching and/or reading a tape.

Punching perforations into a paper tape and reading a perforated tape are two complementary operations. In the first, the tape is advanced step-by-step and at each momentary arrest of the tape a coded pattern of holes is punched across the width of the tape. Each hole occupies a predetermined position relative to the tape edges. The information represented by the coded pattern of holes may be provided by a calculator, an analogue-to-digital converter, or any of a wide range of devices.

' The reading operation consists of generating coded electrical signals from the coded hole patterns on the tape.

Generally, these two operations are carried out by distinct apparatus units. A tape passes from a perforator to a reader in which a reading operation succeeds the punching operation.

There are cases in which reading a punched code must be carried out in the immediate vicinity of tape punch, however. This occurs, for example, in digitally controlled machine tools, where lack of space presupposes grouping of the program units close to one another. Also, there is an evident advantage in carrying out reading shortly after punching, for the purpose of detecting errors which may arise in the punching operation.

In accordance with the present invention, a device for punching and/or reading a tape comprises a drive for advancing the tape step-by-step past a row of punch elements each selectively operable to punch a hole on v a first perforation-receiving line of the tape, and a tape reader selectively operable to scan a second perforation-receiving line of the tape instantaneously situated one step beyond the row of punch elements in the direction of tape advance.

With this device, while one row of holes is being I punched, the row of holes punched immediately beforehand may be read and checked for errors.

The device is selectively operable as a perforator only, a reader only, or as a perforator in which operation is controlled by the reader. The device will be particularly useful in high-speed systems where monitoring of the just-punched characters is of particular interest.

.The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the device for punching and/or reading a tape;

FIGS. 2 to 5 are partial sections through the device during a cycle of operation; and

FIG. 6' is a schematic circuit diagram of the device.

Referring to FIG. 1, a paper tape 1 is to receive perforations 2.' To this end, it is advanced step-by-step in the direction shown by arrow F 1 through a housing indicated generally at 3 and comprising upper and lower sections 3a and 3b, respectively. The tape is driven by a sprocketed roller 4 over which it is deflected through an angle of 90, the perforated tape advancing in the direction shown by the arrow F The sprocketed roller 4 is coupled to a step-by-step motor (not shown).

The present example will be given with reference to punch codes involving rows of nine holes across the tape, as is common practice in such systems, the central hole being always present and constituting that engaged by the sprockets of the tape drive, the roller 4 in this case. The distance between successive rows of holes in the direction of advance of the tape is indicated at p.

As will be seen more clearly by referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the housing 3 carries a row of nine punch elements 7 each of which is resiliently biased into a retracted position shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. Each is urgable against the spring bias, provided by a respective leaf spring 8 anchored at 9, to punch the tape, as shown in FIG. 4.

Each code is punched by urging the corresponding pattern of punch elements 7 downwardly to perforate the tape.

Each punch element 7 is urgable against the spring bias by the cooperation of a cam 10 common to all the punch elements 7 and consisting of a cylindrical body rotatable about an axis parallel to and spaced from its geometrical axis of symmetry, with a firstlever 12 respective to each punch element 7.

Each lever 12 is cranked, having first and second arms 12a and 12b. It is pivoted about an axis 13 intermediate its ends to the end portion of a first arm of a three-arm lever 14 pivoted about a fixed axis 15. The lever 14 has second and third arms 14b and 14a, respectively. a

Arm 1221 of each first'lever 12 is connected to one end ofa resilient bias spring 16 whose other end is connected to a fixed pointl7.

A respective electromagnet 18 is provided for each arm 14a. On energization of each electromagnet 18, over a connection symbolized by the arrow X, the arm 14a is attracted from a first position shown in FIGS. 2

and 5 to a second position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Each arm 14b bears against the cam 10 on the opposite side thereof to the punch elements 7.

The greatest radius of the cam 10 relative to its axis of rotation is indicated by the arrow R. The cam rotates clockwise as seen in FIGS. 2 to 5. 4

The cam 10 is rotated by a motor 19 onwhose output shaft 20 are mounted the cam 10 and first and second opaque discs 21 and 22. Disc 21 has a segment-shaped slot 21a and disc 22 a similar slot 22a. The discs 21 and 22 are clamped to the'shaft 20 so that the slots 21a and 22a are angularly spaced from one another. Between discs 21 and 22 is mounted a light source 23 adapted to direct light towards each disc.

On the opposite side of disc 21 from source 23 is a photosensitive element 25, while on the opposite side of disc 22 from the source 23 is a further photosensitive device 26. A pulse is provided from each photosensitive device each time the respective 'slot 210 or 22a passes between it and the light source 23. These pulses constitute respective signals Z and T whose functio will be explained below.

On housing 3 are mounted units 6a and 6b forming part of a tape reading system. The system is shown in FIG. 2.

Unit 6a houses a light source 27 and a first set of optical fibers 28 each coupled to the light source and arranged to illuminate a spot on the tape corresponding to a perforation.

The second unit 6b includes a second set of optical fibers 29 each arranged to pick up any light passing through a tape perforation from a corresponding one of the fibers 28, and to conduct that light to a respective photosensitive element 30 providing at its output 31 an electrical pulse corresponding to each hole on the tape at the corresponding position. Thus, for each row of holes punched in the tape, the set of outputs 31 provides a corresponding coded electrical signal.

The row of punch elements 7 is arranged across a first perforation-receiving line on the tape 1'. The tape reader just described is arranged to scan a second perforation-receiving line on the tape instantaneously situated one step p beyond the row of punch elements 7 (in the direction of tape advance). In a relatively large number of systems, the step p has been standardized at 2.54 millimeters.

As is seen in FIG. 2, the tape 1 passes from a feed spool 32 through the perforator and reader, over the sprocketed roller 4 with its sprockets and on to a take up spool 33. Tape tension is maintained by restoring couples f and f applied-to spools 32 and 33 respectively in the senses indicated in FIG. 2.

The electrical circuitry of the device will now be described with reference to FIG. 6.

The signal T is applied to an amplifier 41 whose output triggers a monostable element 42 having a predetermined relaxation period. The output of the monostable element 42 is applied to the D input of a switching element 44 having a clock input C and an output Q. The switching element 44 is of the type which provides a logic 1" at its output Q if input D receives a logic 1 when the logic value at input C changes to l. The output Q retains the logic value l until the logic value at input C again changes to l while input D receives a logic 0. When this occurs, the output Q takes the logic value 0.

The clock input C of element 44 receives the signal Z through an amplifier 43. Its output Q is connected to a first input ofa three-input AND-gate 45 whose output is connected through an amplifier 46 to a respective electromagnet 18, as symbolized by the arrow X. Gate and amplifier 46 make up an assembly S corresponding to one row of holes on the tape. Similar assemblies S 8,, are provided for the remaining hole tracks.

A logic unit L provides diverse logic signals, including a perforation order L applied to a second input of gate 45.

A selector switch has two positions and two poles. A first position (a) corresponds to tape punching and a second position (b) to tape reading. The third input of gate 45 is connected to a first cursor I or switch 50 when in position (b), and also through a resistance 49 toa positive power supply terminal symbolized by the plus sign. It is also connected to one input of a twoinput AND-gate 47 whose second input receives a signal K for advancing the tape 1 by one step. The output of gate 47 is connected to one input of an OR-gate 48 whose other input is connected to receive a reading advance signal M. The output of gate 48 provides either signal K or signal M. Signal K is applied to the step-bystep motor driving sprocketed roller 4.

The cursor I of switch 50 is earthed and in the first position (a) contacts a fixed terminal to which no connection is made. The second cursor II receives a signal Y and in position (a) is connected to a positive supply 4 pole symbolized by the plus sign. In position (b) it is connected to a fixed contact to which no connection is made.

As well as the logic signal L, for assembly S the logic circuitry L provides further signals'L L for the assemblies S S The device operates as follows: v

In FIG. 2, the greatest radius R of cam 10 is directed horizontally towards the left. The cranked lever 12 is held above punch elements 7 by the spring 16, and arm 14a of the lever 14 is in its first position, not held by the electromagnet 18.

In FIG. 3, the cam 10 has rotated through and the greatest radius R lifts arm 14b of lever 14 so that arm 14a lies against the electromagnet 18. It is supposed that the electromagnet 18 is energized. Consequently, and as shown in FIG. 4, after a further rotation of the cam 10 through the greatest radius R of the cam is vertically downwards and presses arm 12b of the lever 12 down onto the punch element 7 to perforate a hole in the tape 1.

If the electromagnet 18 is not energized, the situation after this further rotation of l80 is as shown in FIG. 5. Arm 14b of the lever 14 is lowered, arm 14a moving away from the electromagnet. At the same time the pivot point 13 of the lever 12 is moved to the right, partially withdrawing the lever 12 from between the cam 10 and punch element 7. The free end of arm 12b is tapered so that in the position shown in FIG. 5 the cam 10 does not move the punch element 7 so that no perforation takes place.

During such a cycle of operation, the circuitry of FIG. 6 operates as' follows:

When photosensitive element 26 provides one pulse of the signal T, the monostable 42 holds a logic l at input D of switching element 44 for a period equal to its relaxation time. If during this time element 25 provides one pulse of signal Z, the output 0 of element 44 takes or conserves the logic value l If a is the angular distance between slots 21a and 22a, the output of switching element 44 is a logic l if the angular speed of cam 10 is at least equal to a/t, where t is the relaxation time of the monostable 42.

Thus, the condition Q -1 indicates that the cam speed is appropriate for perforation, being applied as an enabling signal to gate 45. If the cam speed is less than a minimum acceptable value, particularly during starting up and stopping of the motor 19, perforation is inhibited. This measure avoids unwanted perforations caused by parasitic effects on switching from reading to punching and vice versa.

With switch 50 in its punch" position (a), gate 45 receives the positive supply voltage on its second input, constituting a logic I. At the same time, via cursor II, motor 19 receives its excitation order Y. The stepby-step motor (not shown) receives the advance order- K from the logic circuitry L.

With switch 50 in its read position '(b) gate 45 is closed since its second input is connected to earth. The motor 19 does not receive the signal Y and stops. The step-by-step motor (not shown) receives its advance order M from an external source.

Switch 50 is shown as a mechanical switch, but it will be appreciated that it will preferably consist of an electronic circuit for operation at ultrahigh speeds. The tape reader just described is a photoelectric arrangement, but it will be appreciated that other suitable systems may be employed.

The apparatus just described is compact and provides for immediate reading of a just-punched code or for reading of a previously-punched code, and includes means for reducing the risk of parasitic perforations during changes in operation mode. The apparatus may be used at high speeds, of the order of 120 characters per second for example, or in other words, 120 step advances p per second.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for punching and a tape comprising: a housing; a plurality of punch elements disposed in said housing for punching a hole on a first perforation receiving line on the tape; means for incrementally advancing the tape past said plurality of punch elements; means adjacent the tape for scanning a second perforation receiving line on the tape one increment of tape advance beyond the plurality of punch elements in the direction of tape advance; and means for selectively actuating each of said punch elements including: an electromagnet disposed in said housing; a common cylindrical eccentric cam means for controlling all of said punches; a substantially T-shaped three-armed lever pivotably mounted in said housing between said electromagnet and said eccentric cam means, a first arm of said three armed lever being engageable with said eccentric cam means, a second arm of said three armed lever being selectively electromagnetically coupled to said electromagnet; asecond lever pivotally mounted to the third arm of said three-armed lever and extending between said eccentric cam means and a respective punch element; and a spring means for constantly biasing said second lever into engagement with said eccentric cam means whereby the free end of said second lever pushes a respective punch into the tape upon rotation of said eccentric cam means when said electromagnet is energized.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning means comprises a light source, a first set of optical fibers coupled to said light source and arranged to illuminate an area on said second perforation receiving line corresponding to one of said perforations, and further including a photo-detector and a second set of optical fibers coupled thereto and arranged to receive light passing through a tape perforation and to conduct said light to said photo-detector.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said eccentric cam means comprises a cylindrical body mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to and spaced apart from its generated axis of symmetry.

4. An apparatus according to claim-l, further comprising means for controlling the operation of said aplast mentioned means includes first and second electric circuit elements for generating respective signals indicative'of respective angular positions of said eccentric cam means and further including circuit means, responsive to said first and second signals, for inhibiting tape punching when the time interval between said first and second signals, which is dependent 'upon the speed of said drive motor, exceeds a predetermined limit.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said controlling means further comprises a selector switch means for interrupting the operation of said eccentric cam means and the energization of said electromagnet in a first position thereof.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second circuit elements comprise first and second slotted discs, mounted on said drive shaft, a light source disposed adjacent said discs, and a photosensitive means, for receiving the light generated thereby, passing through said respective discs, for generating said-signals.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said circuit means comprises a delay circuit receiving one of said signals, a logic storage circuit, having one input thereof coupled to the output of said delay circuit, and another input thereof coupled to receive the other of said first and second signals, and an electromagnet energizing logic circuits connected thereto for delivering energizing signals to a respective electromagnet, for punching said tape.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said circuitmeans further comprises a selector logic circuit, coupled to said energizing logic circuit, for generating selective electromagnetic energizing signals, a selector switch for generating a motor advance signal and a read advance logic circuit connected to said selector switch and to said selector logic circuit, for generating signals advancing said tape.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said electromagnet energizing logic circuit comprises a first AND gate responsive to signals received from said storage circuit, said selector switch and said selector logic circuit, and wherein said read advance logic circuit includes a second AND gate, responsive to signals received from said selector switch and said selector logic circuit, connected in series with an OR gate receiving a read advance signal.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said logic storage circuit includes means for generating an input enabling signal to 'be applied to said first AND gate, only if the angular speed of said eccentric cam means is at least equal to a/t, where a equals the angular displacement between the slots on said slotted discs, and t equalsthe delay time of said delay circuit.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first logic storage circuit includes means for generating an input enabling signal to be applied to said first AND 1 gate, only if the angular speed of said eccentric cam and 1 equals the delay tirne of said delay circuit. 

1. An apparatus for punching and a tape comprising: a housing; a plurality of punch elements disposed in said housing for punching a hole on a first perforation receiving line on the tape; means for incrementally advancing the tape past said plurality of punch elemenTs; means adjacent the tape for scanning a second perforation receiving line on the tape one increment of tape advance beyond the plurality of punch elements in the direction of tape advance; and means for selectively actuating each of said punch elements including: an electromagnet disposed in said housing; a common cylindrical eccentric cam means for controlling all of said punches; a substantially T-shaped three-armed lever pivotably mounted in said housing between said electromagnet and said eccentric cam means, a first arm of said three armed lever being engageable with said eccentric cam means, a second arm of said three armed lever being selectively electromagnetically coupled to said electromagnet; a second lever pivotally mounted to the third arm of said three-armed lever and extending between said eccentric cam means and a respective punch element; and a spring means for constantly biasing said second lever into engagement with said eccentric cam means whereby the free end of said second lever pushes a respective punch into the tape upon rotation of said eccentric cam means when said electromagnet is energized.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scanning means comprises a light source, a first set of optical fibers coupled to said light source and arranged to illuminate an area on said second perforation receiving line corresponding to one of said perforations, and further including a photo-detector and a second set of optical fibers coupled thereto and arranged to receive light passing through a tape perforation and to conduct said light to said photo-detector.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said eccentric cam means comprises a cylindrical body mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to and spaced apart from its generated axis of symmetry.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the operation of said apparatus comprising: an electric motor, a drive shaft for coupling said electric motor to said eccentric cam means for effecting the perforation of said tape through the drive output thereof and further comprising means coupled to said means for advancing the tape for generating signals representative of the incremental punching of said tape.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said last mentioned means includes first and second electric circuit elements for generating respective signals indicative of respective angular positions of said eccentric cam means and further including circuit means, responsive to said first and second signals, for inhibiting tape punching when the time interval between said first and second signals, which is dependent upon the speed of said drive motor, exceeds a predetermined limit.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said controlling means further comprises a selector switch means for interrupting the operation of said eccentric cam means and the energization of said electromagnet in a first position thereof.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first and second circuit elements comprise first and second slotted discs, mounted on said drive shaft, a light source disposed adjacent said discs, and a photosensitive means, for receiving the light generated thereby, passing through said respective discs, for generating said signals.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said circuit means comprises a delay circuit receiving one of said signals, a logic storage circuit, having one input thereof coupled to the output of said delay circuit, and another input thereof coupled to receive the other of said first and second signals, and an electromagnet energizing logic circuits connected thereto for delivering energizing signals to a respective electromagnet, for punching said tape.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said circuit means further comprises a selector logic circuit, coupled to said energizing logic circuit, for generating selective electromagnetic energizing signals, a selector switch fOr generating a motor advance signal and a read advance logic circuit connected to said selector switch and to said selector logic circuit, for generating signals advancing said tape.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said electromagnet energizing logic circuit comprises a first AND gate responsive to signals received from said storage circuit, said selector switch and said selector logic circuit, and wherein said read advance logic circuit includes a second AND gate, responsive to signals received from said selector switch and said selector logic circuit, connected in series with an OR gate receiving a read advance signal.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said logic storage circuit includes means for generating an input enabling signal to be applied to said first AND gate, only if the angular speed of said eccentric cam means is at least equal to Alpha /t, where Alpha equals the angular displacement between the slots on said slotted discs, and t equals the delay time of said delay circuit.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first logic storage circuit includes means for generating an input enabling signal to be applied to said first AND gate, only if the angular speed of said eccentric cam means is at least equal to Alpha /t, where Alpha equals the angular displacement between the slots on said slotted discs, and t equals the delay time of said delay circuit. 